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| In a blog by historian Amy Licence, I also came across manuscript images of women in medieval Europe reading, writing, and even painting. Because this was a period when artists were not identified as individualsindividually , I don't know whether women painted them. |
As the Greek philosopher Heraclitus of Ephesus noted, "Ever-newer waters flow on those who step into the same rivers" ["No one steps into the same river twice."] Or, as the Buddha taught, "Impermanence is one of the conditions of existence." It also contributes variety to our artistic endeavors.
[Note: After I wrote this post, I received a library copy of Stefan Bollmann's Reading Women, containing more than 70 images (from as early as 1204) as well as information about each one.]
What particular subject have you seen interpreted by many different artists? What struck you about the varying iterations?
What artwork has been memorable to you because it gave you a glimpse into another world or time?
What compels you to work in a series? How do you interpret and re-interpret a theme or object?